Doncic, Irving get 1st tandem win as Mavs rout hapless Spurs
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 28 points, Kyrie Irving added 23 and the All-Star pair won for the first time together in Dallas, leading a 142-116 victory over the woeful San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.
The Mavericks had a season high in points while stopping a three-game losing streak in the return from the All-Star break. The Spurs extended their franchise-record skid to 15 games with their 20th loss in 21 games.
The start of the opener of a six-game homestand, longest of the season for Dallas, was delayed about 20 minutes because of moisture on the court. Larger-than-normal crews worked before the game and at halftime to dry the court.
Doncic had 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds when he went to the bench after three quarters in his third game with Irving, who eliminated the need for Doncic to play in the fourth.
Irving scored or assisted on 13 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter as a 10-point lead ballooned to 25 before the seven-minute mark. Irving had six assists.
Malaki Branham led San Antonio with 23 points, and and Keldon Johnson had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The Spurs are nearing the end of their annual rodeo road trip, a nine-game trek this year.
Leading by four when Irving joined Doncic with four minutes remaining in the first half, Dallas pushed the lead to 11 at the break.
Doncic assisted on consecutive dunks by Dwight Powell before a three-point play from Doncic and a turnaround jumper by Irving, who then assisted on 3-pointers from Reggie Bullock and Doncic before a nifty reverse layup for a 74-63 lead just 0.3 seconds before the break.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was 6 of 11 from 3-point range and scored 22 points after missing the Mavericks’ last two games before the break with right hamstring tightness.
Christian Wood scored 16 points, and Justin Holiday had 15 in his debut for Dallas, which had eight players in double figures.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Rookie No. 9 overall pick Jeremy Sochan didn’t play because of left quadriceps soreness. PG Tre Jones was out for the seventh time in eight games with a left foot injury. … The Spurs have lost six in a row to Dallas and 11 of 13 since a 25-4 stretch against their Texas rival from March 2012 to April 2019.
Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd hasn’t sounded optimistic about F/C Maxi Kleber returning from a right hamstring tear during the long homestand. Kleber last played Dec. 12. … F Davis Bertans missed his eighth consecutive game with a right calf strain.
UP NEXT
Spurs: The nine-game rodeo road trip ends with consecutive games at Utah separated by a two-day break. The first game is Saturday.
Mavericks: LeBron James and the Lakers visit Sunday. James said he was disappointed his team didn’t acquire Irving at the trade deadline.
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